Baseball Call to the Hall

Baseball players, coaches, builders and dreamers are taking their place among the sporting legends of Alberta.

Five major baseball figures in the province – Orv Franchuk, Dr. Randy Gregg, W.P. Kinsella, Mel Kowalchuk and Reno Lizzi – are part of a major induction ceremony that will take place at the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame …

Q&A with Jamie Campbell

Jamie Campbell has seen a lot of baseball, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

As the host of Blue Jays Central on Sportsnet, the broadcaster takes in a lot of matchups involving Major League Baseball’s team in Toronto, but he also makes an effort to attend games at all levels across Canada.

Case in point, Campbell and his youngest son made a trip to Alberta in 2024 to check out Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) action at three different ballparks.

Here’s our Q&A with the baseball personality …

Ten Movies We Like

Hollywood will soon celebrate another edition of the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, and hand out Oscars to the most critically acclaimed movies of the year.

We’re also big film lovers, but we have a certain type. We like baseball movies, or at the very least ones that have memorable baseball scenes in them. We also give bonus points to movies that have some kind of connections to Alberta and Saskatchewan.

With that in mind, here’s a look at 10 movies that we like and have written about in the past …

Welcome to Saskatchewan Dugout Stories

Every community in Saskatchewan has a baseball story to tell.

From kids picking up a bat and glove for the first time then playing the game at different association levels to rising into the college and even professional ranks, there are numerous stories to tell.

We are pleased to introduce you to the new Saskatchewan Dugout Stories.

Bowes Knows Baseball

Lisa Bowes knows sports.

A long-time journalist with TSN, The Score, and CTV, the sports media trailblazer entered the world of children’s books inspired by the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Bowes’ latest offering, Lucy Tries Baseball, hit store shelves on April 11, and she joined us to talk all about the inspiration, the character, and more.

Bliss, Blasphemy & Bizarre Nights at the Ballpark

A barefoot pitcher, a chimpanzee chasing players around the diamond, a missing mascot head and much, much more.

Minor league baseball really does have it all and Tim Hagerty knows that better than most people.

We chat with the author of “Tales from the Dugout: 1,001 Humorous, Inspirational & Wild Anecdotes from Minor League Baseball” about some of the connections in his book to Alberta.

The Battered Bouton of Baseball

More than a few baseball players can say they were the author of their own demise.

But in Jim Bouton’s case, it was literally true.

Fortunately, the knuckleball pitcher was also capable of penning a great redemption story … and Calgary played a big role in that comeback.

Ten Books for Alberta Baseball Fans

It’s a great time to find a comfy chair, sit back, crack a book and get lost in it for a few hours.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 10 books that are of interest to Alberta baseball fans. These titles include biographies, historical studies, movie-inspiring tales and first-person accounts of experimental baseball projects.

So, in no particular order, here are the books and authors that have captivated our attention …

Wax Tracks

It is seemingly a marriage of three favourite pieces of baseball lore: cards, travel and books.

Brad Balukjian’s new book, “The Wax Pack: On The Open Road In Search Of Baseball’s Afterlife,” dives into what happened to the players he found in a pack of 1986 Topps baseball cards.

It led him down an 11,341-mile adventure that can only be described as a mix of nostalgia, travelogue and self-discovery.

Online Silent Auction: Nov. 23-30

With the Christmas season upon us, we have just the gifts for the baseball fans in your life! Introducing the Alberta Dugout Stories Silent Auction!